A HISTORIC cemetery where a founding member of the United Irishmen is buried is be opened to the public under a new heritage scheme.
Clifton Street Cemetery in north Belfast is the final resting place of numerous prominent people including United Irishmen founder Henry Joy McCracken.
Built more than two centuries ago, the graveyard no longer accepts burials and has largely been closed to the public in recent years due to anti-social behaviour.
But a new project is now under way to open up the cemetery again and tell the forgotten stories of those buried there.
The cemetery will be opened for selected periods from March to September to give access to the local community and visitors.
Twelve people will be trained as tour guides, learning about the cemetery and achieving Blue Badge tour guide status.
And an information booklet will be produced to raise awareness of the cemetery's heritage.
The project has received a £20,800 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and is being led by the Friends of Clifton Street Cemetery.
Paul Mullan, head of HLF Northern Ireland, said: "We are delighted that National Lottery players' money is helping to open up this historic space.
"Not only do the stories of those buried in Clifton Street Cemetery help us to understand more about life in Belfast through the ages, but the site itself is an important green space which people will now be able to enjoy using."
Project coordinator Joe Baker said: "There is so much history contained in this place that it is beyond belief, and to see local young people trained up to act as tour guides will be an added benefit of the project."
